6th May 2014

Tuesday morning and I left the house full of enthusiasm for a good days busking. My first stop was the Forth Bridge Car Park to catch the buses coming up on their way to take tourists further North. Although I was earlier than last week I could still have done with another 5 minutes just to get organised. I chickened out of going to near the main photography bit yet and as a result I only interested a few passers_by, none of whom took the slightest notice of me until an older couple put a couple of quid in my bag (out of sympathy, I think!)
I didn't play very well at all. I've made up a wee set-list of 5 groups of tunes so I'll just need to keep practising them now.
I got back to work and took my next BB (busking break) at Linlithgow Palace. Again a lack of confidence led me from the main entrance car-park, where there was plenty of room, to the middle of the grass area. I earned nothing here but was watched by a load of people who decided to stop for lunch. still didn't play very well. After I'd finished my set I headed back to the van as there was a time limit on my parking and decided to have a go on the Main Street where the Farmers Market is held. I received a bit of attention and a wee bit of cash and played a lot better too.
Next stop was the Falkirk Wheel. there is a long walk into the Visitors Centre from the Car-park and I based myself on the path straight across from the Wheel itself.

A passing couple took the pic for me. I definitely need to let that kilt down a bit - it looks like a mini-skirt.
Played my set and found that i picked up cash from more than half the people that went by. Somebody even said ' You're great', which was certainly good to hear but I'm not sure anyone that knew anything about piping would have agreed. Anyway, sum total for the day came to £11.13 so everything is heading in the right direction. The practise cant do too much harm, can it?

1st May 2014

17oC on Tuesday, 8oC and wet yesterday, 4oC with a biting wind dropping it even more today. Whats happening to the weather? It rained all morning but just started to dry up as I got to Portabello beach. So, I decided to give it a bash anyway. I got the kilt on and the pipes out and headed onto the Promenade. Deserted! One dog-walker on the beach, with waves crashing in, whipped up by the gusty wind and hardly another soul in sight. I was quite happy to be able to get the drones warmed up and I started playing reasonably well (for me anyway). In the next fifteen minutes, before my fingers got so cold they felt like they'd fallen off, a handful of people went by along with 3 groups of Primary School children who seemed to think I was specifically there for their entertainment. Not that that's a bad thing for them to think. one of the teachers or assistants dropped a pound in my bag and a passing dog-walker took pity on me and gave 30p. So £1.30 was the total takings today. Doesn't sound a lot but it's over 300% better than last week. I'm feeling much more confident about the whole thing now and cant wait to get out again. Just give me some decent weather!